Cargo anti-shifting apparatus



March 21, 1967 E. B. LOPKER CARGO ANTI-SHIFTING APPARATUS INVENTOR Elva/840M513 Filed June 23, 1965 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,310,016 Patented Mar. 21, 1967 3,310,016 CARGO ANTI-SHIFTING APPARATUS Edwin B. Lopker, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., assignor to A.

L. Mechling Barge Lines, Inc., Juliet, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,276

9 Claims. (Cl. 11475) This invention relates to a cargo anti-shifting structure for use in a ship or barge hold to prevent fluid, e.g. liquid cargoes such as petroleum, from shifting or surging and has for its object the provision of a construction capable of quick and easy erection and dismantling, and one, moreover, in which the components are not cumbersome or bulky but capable of storage within a comparatively small area.

Heretofore, in order to prevent the undesired shifting or surging of liquid cargo, it has normally been the practice to use specially constructed rigid, compartmental ships holds or barges; however, this is undesirable since such holds are then limited in the type of cargo which they can carry. It is preferable to have a barge or ships hold designed to handle cargo of any type and to include means whereby the hold is easily convertible to include any special construction required for a particular cargo. Although removable bulkheads for ships holds have been used, in an attempt to solve this problem, see US. Patents 2,750,914 and 3,144,847, such temporary bulkheads are disadvantageous because of the size thereof and consequent storage problems and the time required to put the bulkheads in place.

A tructure has, however, now been designed which provides for insertion of removable baflies into dry cargo holds to control the free surface effects or surging of fluid, e.g. liquid cargoes When these bafllcs are in place, which baffles require little storage space and are quickly put into place. The structure in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of preferably removable vertical posts adapted for erection in the hold, particularly adjacent the side walls thereof, and a wide-width flexible baffle adapted to be passed around each of the posts in a zig-zag fashion from one end of the hold to the other to divide the hold into a plurality of small compartments. A vertical capstan or Windlass is provided at one end of the hold for rolling up the wide-width baffle so that the hold can be used for dry cargo. Alternatively, a plurality of separate baffles can be arranged in the hold to divide it into a plurality of compartments. The vertical capstan serves to secure the baffle at the one end of the hold and means are provided for securing the other end of the baffle at the other end of the hold. This vertical windlass also serves as a means of tightening the wide-width flexible baffle once the other end is secured.

A preferred baffle is a wide-width rubber conveyor belt of rubber, e.g. neoprene, reinforced with Dacron to minimize any stretch. Such belts are flexible longitudinally, but relatively inflexible transversely and have limited stretch.

In general, the baffle is not fastened along the sides or at the bottom, other than by being passed around the vertical post, although preferably it rests on the bottom of the hold. It may be desirable, however, in relatively large holds to fasten the baflle at intermediate points along the sides .of the hold. The width or height of the battle is such that it extends from the bottom of the hold to a point above the desired level of the liquid cargo to be carried. Furthermore, it is preferable to randomly space the vertical posts along the sides of the barge, so that the individual compartments have a different longitudinal dimension to avoid rhythmic surging and consequent summation of the forces applied on the baflle. It will be apparent that many variations in the arrangement of the baflle and in number and arrangement of the vertical support posts are possible and no limitations are intended insofar as the present invention is concerned, except as limited by the claims appended hereto.

In order that the invention may "be more readily understood, several embodiments thereof will be described by way of example with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating a flexible baflle in a rectangular cargo hold in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view partially in cross-section illustrating a vertical capstan for use in this invention;

FIGURES 3A and 3B illustrate in plan view another embodiment of the anti-shifting structure including dashed lines showing in FIGURE 3A the position of the baflles when the vessel heels to port and in FIGURE 3B the position of the baflles when the vessel trims down by the head; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the anti-shifting structure utilizing four baflies.

Referring to the drawings, reference 10 generally designates a river barge having a single large hold formed by side walls 12 and 14 and end walls 16 and 18. Typically such barges are a complete double shell construction, with the cargo hold protected by a double bottom, wing tanks and fore and aft compartments, all subdivided to insure flotation in the event of damage. Over-all dimensions of such a barge are 35 feet beam and feet length with a hold dimension of 28 feet beam and 158 feet length. Of course, a ships hold would be similar.

The baflie of this invention, generally designated 20, is shown in a Zig-zag arrangement extending across the width of the hold and from end 16 to end 18. This baifle can be a heavy rubber, fabric-reinforced sheet such as neoprene reinforced with Dacron. If desired, the bafile can be reinforced with metal cable. When the cargo barge 10 is used for dry cargo, the baffle 20 is wound around a capstan 22 which may be of conventional construction such as illustrated in FIGURE 2. For liquid cargo, bafl le 20 is, however, unwound and arranged as illustrated in FIGURE 1. One end of the baflle is secure- 1y attached to capstan 22. As baffle 20 is unwound it is passed around vertical posts 24 which are arranged at spaced intervals along the side walls 12 and 14 of the hold. The exact location and spacing of the vertical posts 24 is not critical. As illustrated, vertical posts 24 are spaced irregularly; however, regular spacing can be used as shown in FIGURES 3A and 3B. Irregular spacing, prevents rhythmic surging of liquid in the individual compartments formed by baflie 20 in the event of repetitive movement such as experienced in ocean travel. However, the hold should be divided into an adequate number of individual compartments to prevent surging of the liquid. The baflle 20 is manually pulled from capstan 22 and wound around each of the vertical posts :24 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. The free end of the baffle 20 is attached to the end wall 18 by a clamp 26 which can be, for example, a bolt arrangement for securely fastening the baflle 20 to end wall 18. After the baflie 20 is attached to end wall 18 by bolt 26, the capstan 22 is wound in the direction for Winding up thebaflle 20 to tighten the baflle. Some tightening also can be performed at the bolt 26. To remove the baflle 20 from the cargo hold, bolt 26 is unsecured and capstan 22 used to rewind baffle 20. Baflle 20,extends vertical-1y from the bottom of the cargo hold of barge 10 to a point well above the free surface of any liquid cargo and the possible patterns of baffling are almost without limit.

The capstan 22, see FIGURE 2, comprises a head 30,

a cylindrical body 32 and a base 34 all fastened together, e.g., by screw threads or welding. Capstan 22 is rotatably secured in the cargo hold by a collar 36 which is fastened to the wall of the cargo hold and by a short stud 38 which fits into a hole 40 in base plate 42 arranged in the bottom of the cargo hold. The stud 38 is sized so as to be freely rotatable in hole 40. Head 30 includes openings 44 adapted .for insertion thereinto of a rotating tool, not shown, to manually rotate capstan 22. Of course, if desired an electric or gasoline driven motor can be used to rotate capstan 22. A ratchet 46 and pawl 48 arrangement is provided to normally prevent rotation of the capstan in one direction. Pawl 48 can be lifted by rod 50 through handle 52 to allow rotation of the capstan 22 in both directions. In the hold, capstan 22 is arranged so that baflle 20 can be tightened by rotating the capstan. Preferably, a ratchet and pawl arrangement is also provided at the top of the capstan to avoid sagging of baflle 20. The pawl of this arrangement can also be lifted by rod 50 along with pawl 48. Capstan 22 is spaced a distance from the wall of the cargo hold suflicient to permit the baflle to be wound thereabout for storage. It is desirable to arrange vertical posts 24 so that they too are rotatable so as to minimize the friction on the baflle as it is wound around the vertical post and make it easier to thread the baffle in the desired pattern. A support arrangement similar to that for capstan 22 (see FIG- URE 2) can be used to rotatively support vertical posts 24.

FIGURES 3A and 3B illustrate a plan view similar to FIGURE 1. However, as shown in FIGURES 3A and 3B, vertical posts 56 are provide-d in the center of the cargo hold. A center baffle 54, a starboard side baflie 20' and a port side baflle 20 are wound around posts 24 and 56 so that the number of individual compartments formed is greatly increased over the arrangement of FIGURE 1. Separate capstans 22A, 22B and 22C, as well as securing means 26A and 26B, are provided for baffles 20', 20 and 54. The dashed lines in FIGURE 3A illustrate the position of the baflles when the cargo hold, i.e., barge, heels to port, exaggerated for clarity. The arrows show how tension in the baflles tends to balance out. FIGURE 38 illustrates by dashed lines the position of the baffles when the hold trims down by the head.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the use of four separate baffles 60 each extending across the width of the cargo hold. Each baflle 60 is secured at one end to a capstan 62, similar to capstan 22, adapted to have the respective bafile 60 wound thereabout. Securing means are provided for the other end of the respective baffles 60. The securing means include an angle bar 64 fastened to the free end of the baflle 60 by bolts 65 and bar 66. The angle bar 64 is secured to a second angle bar 68 (which is attached, e.g. welded to the side wall of the cargo hold) by bolts 70. Although a transverse arrangement of baflles 60 can be used, the bafiles 60 preferably extend at an angle to the longitudinal center plane of the cargo hold to spread the force applied on the baflle 60.

It is claimed:

1. In a cargo hold having a bottom, two end walls and two side walls, a fluid cargo anti-surging structure for quickly converting the cargo hold from a single large hold into a plurality of smaller compartments, comprising a plurality of vertical-extending post means arranged adjacent said side walls, flexible baflle means loosely wound around said post means in a zig-zag fashion, said bafile means extending vertically from adjacent the bottom of said hold to above the free level of the liquid cargo, capstan means at one end of said hold, said baffle means being secured at one end to said capstan means,

and means securing the other end of said bafile means at the other end of said hold, said capstan means being adapted to tighten said baflle means after it is secured at said other end of the hold and said baflle means being adapted to be wound around said capstan means when the baffle means is not secured at said other end.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein each said vertically extending post means includes a vertical post and means for rotatably supporting said post in said hold.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said post means are randomly spaced along said side walls.

4. The structure of claim 1 including a plurality of vertically extending post means spaced longitudinally along the center of said hold, said baflle means including two baflles, each said baflle being wound around the post means on a respective side of said hold, said structure further including capstan means and securing means for each said baffle.

5. The structure of claim 4 including a third baflle, capstan means therefor and securing means, said third baflle extending longitudinally of said hold between said two baffles.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said baflle means is a fabric-reinforced rubber belt having limited flexibility in a transverse direction.

7. In a cargo hold having a bottom, two end walls and two side walls, a fluid cargo anti-surging structure for quickly converting the cargo hold from a single large hold into a plurality of smaller compartments, comprising a plurality of vertical-extending flexible baffle means arranged in said hold, said baflle means extending vertically from adjacent the bottom of said hold to above the free level of the liquid cargo, capstan means for each of said baflie means, said capstan means being spaced along the sides of said hold, said baflle means being secured at one end to said capstan means, and means securing the other end of each said bafile means to the side of said hold opposite each said capstan means, said capstan means being adapted to tighten said baflle means after it is secured at said opposite side of the hold and said baflle means being adapted to be wound around said capstan means when the baffle means is not secured at said opposite side.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said baflle means extend across the cargo hold at an angle to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the hold.

9. In a cargo hold having a bottom, two end walls and two side walls, a fluid cargo anti-surging structure for quickly converting the cargo hold from a single large hold into a plurality of smaller compartments, comprising a plurality of vertical-extending flexible baffle means arranged in said hold, said bafile means extending vertically from adjacent the bottom of said hold to above the free level of the liquid cargo, supporting means for each of said baffle means spaced along the sides of said hold, each said baflle means being secured at one end to a respective one of said supporting means, and securing means for securing the other end of each said baffle means to the side of said hold opposite each said supporting means, said securing means including means for tightening said bafile means after it is secured at said opposite side of the hold, said bafile means being adapted to be rolled up when the baflle means is not secured.

No references cited.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CARGO HOLD HAVING A BOTTOM, TWO END WALLS AND TWO SIDE WALLS, A FLUID CARGO ANTI-SURGING STRUCTURE FOR QUICKLY CONVERTING THE CARGO HOLD FROM A SINGLE LARGE HOLD INTO A PLURALITY OF SMALLER COMPARTMENTS, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL-EXTENDING POST MEANS ARRANGED ADJACENT SAID SIDE WALLS, FLEXIBLE BAFFLE MEANS LOOSELY WOUND AROUND SAID POST MEANS IN A ZIG-ZAG FASHION, SAID BAFFLE MEANS EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOLD TO ABOVE THE FREE LEVEL OF THE LIQUID CARGO, CAPSTAN MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID HOLD, SAID BAFFLE MEANS BEING SECURED AT ONE END OF SAID CAPSTAN MEANS, AND MEANS SECURING THE OTHER END OF SAID BAFFLE MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID HOLD, SAID CAPSTAN MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO TIGHTEN SAID BAFFLE MEANS AFTER IT IS SECURED AT SAID OTHER END OF THE HOLD AND SAID BAFFLE MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO BE WOUND AROUND SAID CAPSTAN MEANS WHEN THE BAFFLE MEANS IS NOT SECURED AT SAID OTHER END. 